Ted Cruz's 21 Hour Marathon

At 2:41pm on Tuesday, September 24, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas began a 21-hour speaking marathon on the Senate floor, declaring that he intended to speak until he could no longer stand.  His goal?  Make DC listen - to you.

Senator Cruz spoke all through the night, but was forced to end at noon on Wednesday for the beginning of a new legislative day.  He received help from Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), David Vitter (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and most notably from Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah.  Cruz and Lee have led the fight to defund Obamacare in the Senate, and you can sign their petition calling on their colleagues to join them at www.DontFundObamacare.com.

During those 21 hours, Senator Cruz and the others who stood with him read story after story of people who will be - and have been - affected by Obamacare.  Cruz repeatedly noted how the hashtag #MakeDCListen was trending higher and higher throughout the day and on into the night, emphasizing why he was speaking - to make D.C. listen to the American people.

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After the marathon ended, Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid immediately took to the floor to condemn Ted Cruz and Tea Party activists across the nation as "anarchists", calling the speech a waste of time.  Establishment Republicans, including Senator John McCain, echoed Reid's "waste of time" statement.  but in reality, it was nothing close to a waste of time.  For 21 hours, Washington D.C. was forced to listen to the American people, and that's something that they desperately need.

My plea to this body is to listen to the American people and to #DefundObamacare #MakeDCListen

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) September 25, 2013

We fully support Ted Cruz's move, and call on all Republican Senators to join him and Senator Mike Lee in fighting to Defund Obamacare.  You can call your Senators and tell them to join the fight by scrolling down and viewing the list at www.DontFundObamacare.com.

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NOTE: This was not technically a filibuster because Senator Cruz was not delaying a vote.  However it had many of the same features as a filibuster, and was the fourth longest time that anyone has ever held the Senate floor.